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We apply our deep expertise in applied methods to design, test and scale solutions across the innovation lifecycle.

02/08/2026

💰 Where should Andy Burnham look to raise government funds - and where shouldn't he?

As Andy Burnham enters Downing Street, he needs to find the financial headroom to fund his ambitious agenda. But what are the policy cul-de-sacs that Burnham should avoid - ideas for revenue raising that might seem easy or tempting but which are likely to fail or trip up a new government

In the latest episode of our new deep-dive series, Andy Burnham's first 100 days, Nesta Chief Executive Ravi Gurumurthy sits down with Nesta's chief economist, Tim Leunig, to explore where government should look for funding and where it shouldn't.

Together examine concrete, evidence-backed fixes: from closing the tax gap through enforcement to modernising VAT, reforming disability assessments, and targeting investment in skills, infrastructure, and AI.

🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://bit.ly/4g4RLPt

01/08/2026

🤖 How can the UK win the global race on digital public tech?

The UK spends billions renting back access to its own data from private tech vendors. To transform government services, Andy Burnham needs to build a sovereign digital state.

In this episode of our new deep-dive series, Andy Burnham's first 100 days, Nesta Chief Executive Ravi Gurumurthy is joined by Mallory Durran to explore how government can take back control of digital public infrastructure.

They discuss concrete steps for Andy Burnham’s first 100 days: adopting common digital standards, applying Open Banking principles to health data, and treating technical talent as a national priority.

🎥Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://bit.ly/44V3DhG

31/07/2026

💊 What should Andy Burnham do to actually tackle the root causes of poor health?

Andy Burnham wants to help people live well by building a preventative state. But the UK remains trapped in a struggling health system, burdened by chronic illness and soaring costs.

How can he tackle the root causes of ill health - from poor housing to obesity - rather than just treating the symptoms?

In the second episode of our deep-dive series from the Policy Fix podcast, Nesta’s Ravi Gurumurthy and Hugo Harper break down the biggest drivers of ill health, the societal and economic costs at play - and the practical fixes Andy Burnham should focus on first.

🎧 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

If you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, subscribe and share it with your network.

29/07/2026

New podcast 📣 How should Andy Burnham fix our broken tax system and close the tax gap?

The UK has an extraordinary amount of taxes and exemptions. The result is a system burdened by complexity, distorted incentives and a tax gap estimated to be billions.

With big promises to take back control of public utilities, ease the cost of living and build thousands of council homes, Andy Burnham needs serious cash. Can fixing Britain’s broken tax system and closing our tax gap help him Burnham foot the bill? And where should he begin?

🎙️ In this special deep-dive from the Policy Fix podcast, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy is joined by tax expert Dan Neidle to map out the steps Andy Burnham should take to get started on tax reform in his first 100 days. They explore:

📈 How reforming capital gains tax could raise billions while creating room for targeted tax cuts elsewhere.

💡 Why establishing clear tax principles and committing to long-term stability is essential to rebuilding public trust.

🏢 Why launching a Small Business Tax Commission could tackle modern digital tax evasion and large-scale fraud without burdening ordinary small businesses.

🎧 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

If you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, subscribe and share it with your network.

28/07/2026

As a new Prime Minister entering Downing Street, Andy Burnham has set out an ambitious agenda. But can his vision survive the fiscal and political realities facing the UK today?

That’s what we’re exploring in this special deep-dive from the Policy Fix podcast: Andy Burnham’s first 100 days.

Hosted by Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy, each episode sits down with the UK's leading policy experts to stress-test the main policy ideas that should shape a new government's agenda - from tax reform and digital public infrastructure to health, energy, and industrial strategy.

Our guests go beyond rehearsing the UK's biggest challenges to explore the practical, evidence-led policies Andy Burnham should pursue - and the steps he should take to get started in his first 100 days.

The first four episodes are available now:
💷 How to close the UK tax gap, with tax expert Dan Neidle.
🍎 How Andy Burnham can tackle the real drivers of ill health, with Hugo Harper
💻 How Andy Burnham can build a sovereign digital state, with Nesta’s Mallory Durran.
📈 Where Andy Burnham should look for revenue - and where he shouldn’t, with Nesta’s Tim Leunig.

Watch the full series on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

20/07/2026

With new UK government leadership incoming, how can ministers and policymakers turn momentum into meaningful change?

🎙️ On a recent episode of the Policy Fix podcast, Nesta's Director of Policy Joe Owen was joined by experts in government reform and policymaking Jill Rutter (Institute for Government) and Andrew Greenway (Public Digital), to explore why governments so often struggle to turn bold promises into reality - and what it takes to really get things done.

In each episode of the Policy Fix, we take a policy problem and look at the solutions for fixing it.

▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Link below ⤵️

If you enjoyed the conversation, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review 🌟

16/07/2026

Policy can transform a nation’s health. Policy change turned the UK into a non-smoking culture - and with the right policies, we could achieve the same with our food system.

We’re talking about what the government should do to turn the tide on obesity in the latest episode of the Policy Fix podcast 🎙️

In each episode of the Policy Fix podcast, we take a policy problem and then look at the solutions for fixing it.

In each episode of Policy Fix, we take a policy problem and look at the solutions for fixing it.

Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts - link below 🔗

Like the Policy Fix podcast? Subscribe, rate and review 🌟

14/07/2026

The world around us shapes what we eat. 🍎

Our daily choices are heavily influenced by what is cheap, available and heavily advertised. Right now, this system has made the UK one of the largest consumers of ultra-processed foods in the world.

If we want to tackle this public health crisis, we have to look beyond individual willpower and actually fix our broken food system.

In the latest episode of the Policy Fix podcast, we dive deep into how the government can finally turn the tide on obesity. We are joined by health policy expert Dr Dolly van Tulleken and Hugo Harper, director of Nesta’s healthy life mission, to unpack the urgent steps needed to fix our food environment.

Together, they examine the structural forces shaping our diets, reveal why so many public health policies get watered down or delayed and discuss what the evidence really says works.

In each episode of the Policy Fix , we take a policy problem and then look at the solutions for fixing it.

🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

🌟 Like the Policy Fix podcast? Subscribe, rate and review

08/07/2026

There is no bigger public health issue in the UK today than obesity. Around two-thirds of people are living with excess weight and obesity, costing our society a staggering £126 billion every single year in hits to the NHS, lost productivity and lowered quality of life.

How can the government finally turn the tide and fix our broken food system?

🎧 In the latest episode of the Policy Fix, host Joseph Owen explores this challenge with health policy expert Dr Dolly van Tulleken and Hugo Harper, director of Nesta’s healthy life mission.

Together, they unpack the food environment that shapes what we eat, why so many policies get watered down or delayed, and what the evidence really says works.

In each episode of the Policy Fix podcast, we take a policy problem and then look at the solutions for fixing it.

🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

🌟 Like the Policy Fix podcast? Subscribe, rate and review

26/06/2026

A year ago, the government set out a ‘moonshot’ to end the obesity epidemic in the 10 Year Health Plan for England. However, successive governments have announced almost 700 initiatives to tackle obesity in the last 30 years - in that time, rates have doubled.

So why has nothing worked and what would it actually take to turn the tide?

In the latest episode of the Policy Fix podcast, host Joe Owen sits down with health policy expert Dr Dolly van Tulleken and Hugo Harper, director of Nesta’s healthy life mission, to debate the structural changes that can actually move the dial - such as mandatory targets for supermarkets. We think this could reduce obesity by around 20%.

Together, they unpack the food environment that shapes what we eat and look at what the evidence really says works.

In each episode of Policy Fix, we take a policy problem and look at the solutions for fixing it.

🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

🎧 Like the Policy Fix podcast? Subscribe, rate and review.

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